These days, everyone is looking for a unique niche. The key is to find something that interests you and also has the potential for profit. Before jumping in head first you should do some research and find out how much demand there is for your product or service.
If you are considering a product you might go to a site like eBay or Amazon and find out how many people are offering products like the ones you are considering. How quickly do they sell? How much bidding competition is there? How strong are prices? Once you have determined the area you would like to pursue you can start small. You could actually open an eBay or Amazon store yourself and tap into their pool of clients. Here is an example of a sort of off-beat business that would appeal to just the right person. ~Tim McMahon, editor.
Selling Vintage Brooches Online
Vintage jewelry is a great market to establish an online business because it is popular, fun, and rewarding. Vintage brooches in particular have good potential to sell online since there are so many different brands and styles. It is important to choose the brooches you want to sell carefully, help buyers complete purchases with flexible payment options, and properly clean your inventory. Vintage brooches can range in price drastically from quite inexpensive to fabulously expensive. This Tiffany brooch from the National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. contains a beveled square-cut emerald discovered in Colombia between and : acquired by Sultan Abdul Hamid II and placed in a platinum setting, surrounded by 109 round and 20 baguette cut diamonds by Tiffany & Co. in 1950.
Choosing the Right Brooches
Because there are thousands of vintage brooches available, it can be overwhelming to choose the right ones to sell in your store. When sourcing your inventory, be sure to pay attention to condition. Brooches that have embedded stones should still have all their stones or their value goes down. If the brooch is enameled or plated, it is important that those finishes are not chipping off the piece. It is also a good idea to check the brooch for any maker’s marks. These brand marks let you know who made the piece, which makes it easier to research the brooch’s value and also easier for the buyer to find when searching your store. You can also check for a mark to see whether your brooch is made of precious metal.
Flexible Payment Options
Having flexible payment options allows you to sell more vintage brooches because you will appeal to multiple buyers. If you invest in Point of Sale hardware, you can even sell your brooches in person by credit card if the opportunity arises. Using online services that process payments anonymously for you and the buyer is a good idea because they are safe and secure. You can also accept cash, money orders, and checks. If the brooches you are selling are expensive, a layaway plan might attract more buyers who do not want to pay the full amount upfront.
Cleaning Brooches
Vintage brooches are often dirty because of their age, wear, and how they are stored. A lot of online stores sell vintage jewelry in this condition to let buyers decide if they want to clean it or wear it with the natural patina. If you do decide to clean your vintage brooches, it is important to know what metal they are made from so you know which chemicals are safe to use without damaging the brooch. If your brooch has rhinestones, these chemicals could hurt them. If you are unsure, it is always best to do further research before you clean your brooch. You can always use a soft, dry cloth to gently wipe away surface dirt no matter what metal the brooch is made from.
Selling vintage brooches online is a rewarding and fun business. By carefully considering each brooch you buy to stock in your shop, you can keep a high profit margin. Buyers will be more willing to purchase from your store if you offer multiple payment options, including a secure online credit card system, as well as layaway plans for more costly items. Taking good care of your inventory will also help to ensure happy customers, eager to return to buy more.
See Also:
- Promoting Your Business Through Advertising
- Building Trust in Business Relationships
- Empower Your Sales Team with Effective Training Videos
- What’s in a Business Name?
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| Behind the Brooch: A Closer Look at Backs, Catches, and Pin Stems | Brooches: Timeless Adornment | Read My Pins- Stories from a Diplomat by Madeleine Albright |
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